Town Welfare Costs Far Below 1933 But Old Age Equals Entire 1924 Bill
Expenditures of the welfare department continued to show a sharp decrease during
November from the same month of a year ago. Records of agent E. K. Ballou show
that last month the total expenses of the department were $8,103.67 as against
$16,081.26 in Nov., 1933. There was an increase $142.50 over the Oct., 1934
costs, however, due mainly to fuel and other needs of the colder weather.
The total expenditures up to Dec. 1 reached $105,195.42, the smallest amount
in several years and were markedly smaller than for the same period last year,
when the total costs had amounted to $169,775.70 on Dec 1. With only one more
month left in the fiscal year it is now assured that the welfare department
will make a very favorable showing in comparison to the 1933 record.
The expenditures are very much increased over those of the department 10 years
ago, for in 1924 the total cost was $22,479.53, whereas this year the cost of
the old age assistance, required under state law, will probably surpass that
amount, the total up to Dec. 1 reaching $20,046.39, all of which is figured
in the total expenditures of the welfare department. The old age assistance
costs for November of this year were $2,019.25.
An increase in the number of persons aided was also noted in the past month,
the number receiving aid in various amounts on Dec. 1 being 1,209 as compared
to 1,008 on Nov. 1, but less than on Dec. 1, 1933, when there were 1,310 names
on the list. Last year, however, almost all of those on the list were receiving
full aid, while this year a large number are only receiving partial of temporary
aid.
The total expenditures of the department for 1933, including the personal account,
reached $189,168.70, whereas the appropriation for this year was $148,168, of
which $20,000 was transferred to the highway department at the special town
meeting on Dec. 7. |